


A Launt Christmas

by Schist



Category: Formula 1 RPF, james hunt - fandom, niki lauda - fandom
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-23
Updated: 2014-12-23
Packaged: 2018-03-03 00:43:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,417
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2831948
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Schist/pseuds/Schist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's Christmas, early 80's. James is at a Christmas party and unexpectedly runs into Niki. They have a history, and old feelings pop  up again.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Launt Christmas

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first Launt fanfic, and English is not my first language, so be kind :)

If their goal had been to cram as many Christmas decorations into one room as possible, they certainly succeeded. James looked at the impressive quantity of glittering, colorful ornaments that filled the room and felt a mix of appreciation and horror. He laughed. If you can’t do something well, at least do it enthusiastically. The sound system was playing Christmas carols, just loud enough to be annoying.

A waitress came by carrying a tray of champagne glasses. She was dressed in a red dress, high heels and a santa hat, and gave him a flirtatious look.

“More champagne, sir?” she said with a slight tilt to her head.

Her lipstick matched the dress and hat.

“Sure, why not.”

James put his empty glass on the tray and took a new one. The glass was cold in his hand, and when he tasted it the champagne it was even colder. Perfect. He smiled at the girl, who smiled back at him before she went on. If he wanted company later on he didn’t have to look far; he knew an invitation when he saw one.

He chatted with some friends from the BBC for a while, and then ran into an old girlfriend. It was nice to see her, but he was sad to discover she had gotten married. He wouldn’t have minded sleeping with her again. They’d had their differences, but she had been a devil in bed.

He was about to go up to one of his old racing colleagues when he spotted a familiar red baseball cap at the other end of the room. What would Niki be doing here? He hated parties, it was off season and he had no reason for being anywhere other than with his family in Salzburg or wherever he went for Christmas. A party in London was the last place James had expected to see him.

“Niki!” he said when he got closer.

Niki was standing with his team mate Alain and some other people James thought were also from McLaren, and looked up when James approached. He smiled.

“Hi” he said.

He was dressed in a nice suit and tie that made his red cap look terribly out of place. James had seen him on television lots of times since he returned to racing a few years ago, but it was different to see him in real life again. He had gotten older, but it was hard to tell exactly how his face had changed when half of it was covered in scars. He looked fit, healthy, and even thinner than before.

“Hi” James said. “I never thought I’d find you here.”

Niki shrugged.

“I was in London for a meeting with McLaren” he said

His Austrian accent was still as strong as it had ever been, and James smiled. He had missed it.

“I’m not flying back until tomorrow morning” Niki said. “So when Ron invited me here I thought why not?”

“Why not” James said and smiled again. “Are you having a good time?”

Niki shrugged. Their eyes met, and James thought about all the time they had spent together at race tracks years ago. They were so young when they met. First enemies, then gradually becoming friends. He couldn’t remember when their friendly banter had turned into flirting, and then… there had only been that one night. They had both enjoyed it, but Niki was married and insisted they could never do it again. Then James quit racing, and they lost touch. He often wondered what would had happened if he had stayed.

Alain and the others started talking to someone else, and James and Niki found themselves alone.

“I heard you’ve got your own airline” James said.

A light came on in Niki’s eyes.

“Yes” he said. “I never thought I’d find something I love as much as racing, but I think I love flying even more.”

James chuckled.

“I remember when you got your first pilot’s license back in ’76” he said. “All you could talk about was planes and flying.”

Niki smiled. He was so thin these days it made his teeth stand out even more when he smiled. James felt a pang of regret that they had slipped apart.  He had missed that smile. He thought about how Niki’s sponsor had made his nickname official and put “Super Rat” on his helmet. James thought that was pretty mean. The Rat nickname was supposed to be friendly teasing between rivals and colleagues, not a marketing trick displayed in block letters for the whole world to see.

“What are you up to these days?” Niki asked.

James shrugged.

“A bit of this, a bit of that” he said.

The waitress came by again, gave James another flirtatious smile and offered Niki a drink. He shook his head, and she went on.

“You’re not drinking?” James asked.

“I already had some. I’m flying tomorrow morning, I can’t get drunk.”

“I always admired your discipline” James said.

Niki laughed, and made James stomach tingle.

“No you didn’t. You thought I was boring. Every single time I went to bed early or stayed sober at a party you would tease me about it.”

“Well, yes. I wouldn’t have wanted to live your life. Still don’t. But I envy you because you can.”

Niki shrugged. A girl James had gone out with last year came up and started talking. James introduced her to Niki and then talked to her for a while. The next time he turned to say something to Niki, he was gone. He looked around, but didn’t see the red cap anywhere.

“Did you see where he went?” he asked.

“Who, they guy with the scars?” she said and made a gesture towards the right side of her face.

“Yes.”

“He just left. Why?”

James looked towards the door but didn’t see Niki there. Then he saw a flash of red outside the window. The bastard! James put his empty glass down and hurried after him. He caught up with Niki in the parking lot.

“Hey!” he said.

Niki looked up. He had put his coat on but looked at cold as James felt. It had started snowing.

“You’re leaving?” James asked.

“Yes.”

“Without saying anything?”

Niki shrugged.

“You seemed busy” he said with a small, teasing smile.

“Where are you going?”

“Hotel.”

“Can I come?”

Niki looked surprised. Then suspicious.

“Why?” he asked.

“I just want to hang out. Come on. At least come back to the party, we’ll talk about old times.”

Niki shook his head.

“I’ve had enough” he said. “I’m tired and bored. Come along if you want, but I’m not going back in there.”

James hesitated, and then made his decision. He followed Niki to his rental car, a black Mercedes, and got in. Niki got into the driver’s seat, closed the door and then looked at James. Then he smiled.

“Aren’t you going to get your coat?” he asked.

“Fuck coats” James said. “I can get it tomorrow. Or buy a new one. ”

Niki shook his head and started the car.

“It wasn’t a very good coat anyway” James said.

Niki laughed.

 

When they were alone in the quiet hotel room James started to think he’d made a mistake. They hadn’t met in years, didn’t know each other anymore and the situation felt decidedly awkward. Watching Niki take his jacket off was strange, because he looked so familiar, and at the same time so different. He remembered how he had looked before the accident. He had been so cute, even attractive, with those big blue eyes and curly hair. James had liked him from the start; had been fascinated by Niki’s small, slim body and the serious, intelligent look in his eyes. He’d had an aura of privacy around him, a leave-me-alone vibe, and James had taken it as a challenge. Niki’s tough attitude and no-nonsense approach had taken some getting used to, but once you got to know him it was easy to learn to like it. With Niki you always got a straight answer, he never left you guessing.

“Do you want a drink?” Niki asked now and opened the mini bar.

“Sure. What do you have?”

“I don’t know. All kinds of shit. See for yourself.”

He moved out of the way, and James took a bottle of beer out of the fridge.

“You’re not letting me drink alone” he said.

Niki opened his mouth to reply, but James cut him off:

“I know, I know, you’re flying tomorrow. Will the plane drop out of the sky if you have one beer with me?”

Niki gave him a small smile, shrugged and then got a tiny bottle of whiskey out of the fridge. He found a glass and emptied the bottle into it.

“Cheers” James said and raised his bottle. “For old times.”

“For old times” Niki said and raised his glass. “And old friends.”

James looked around.

“There are no Christmas decorations in here” he said.

“Thank God” Niki said, and James laughed.

“It can be a bit much, can’t it?”

“Walking into that party was like being hit in the face with a very colorful stick.”

James laughed. He had forgotten how funny Niki could be, and enjoyed being reminded. Niki smiled and their eyes met. Something seemed to change in the air between them, like static electricity building up slowly. Niki stopped smiling. James felt his body start to tingle and had a sudden impulse to kiss him. He followed it. Niki backed away.

“What the fuck” he said, but seemed more surprised than upset.

He put his glass down on the desk next to him.

“Sorry” James said, but didn’t mean it. “I just really wanted to.”

“We’ve been through this before” Niki said.

“Years ago. Come on, what are the odds that we’ll ever have an opportunity like this again?”

“What, you came here with me to sleep with me?”

“No! I came because I was happy to see you and then you left.”

Niki looked away, his eyes darting back and forth as if he was trying to make a decision.

“What harm can a kiss do?” James asked.

Niki looked at him, but didn’t say anything. The silence between them stretched out, filled with endless possibilities. Then Niki lifted his glass again, drained it and put it back on the desk before stepping up to James and kissing him. He tasted like whiskey. James put his arms around him, amazed that his body still felt so much like last time. Small and delicate, but also strong.

The brim of Niki’s cap was poking into James’ face.

“Mind if I remove this?” he asked and touched it. “It’s in my way.”

Niki hesitated.

“You look fine” James said.

Niki grinned.

“No I don’t” he said and took the cap off. “But it’s not important.”

Big patches of his hair was missing, in his forehead and on the right side of his head. Where the hair still grew it was thick and curly, flattened by the cap. It looked awful. James lifted his hand and gently caressed the scarred skin on Nikis head and then down over his face and the place where his ear should be. It felt strange. He had touched it before of course, but it had been so long ago. Niki didn’t move, seemed to like the touch. James looked at his face, intrigued by the strange mix of ugly and beauty. Intense blue eyes, long eyelashes and high cheekbones contrasting with all the scars.

“You were so pretty” James said. “You still are, in some ways. Half ugly, half beautiful, all sexy.”

He ran his hand through Niki’s hair, liked the feel of soft curls tickling his skin. Niki laughed.

“You’re so full of shit” he said and ran a hand down James’s side. “You’re getting fat. Did you stop training?”

“More or less. Can’t find the motivation. Can’t say the same thing for you though. Are you still dragging that personal trainer along with you?”

“Willy, yes.”

“Doesn’t he feed you?”

“Yes, but I’m on a strict diet. It’s a lot more work being fit at 35 than it was at 25.”

“I know. Why do you think I quit?”

They both laughed, and then kissed again. James ran his hands down Niki’s back, then up again and pulled his fingers through his hair again. He felt Niki’s hands find their way underneath his shirt.

“I thought we were just kissing” he mumbled and felt his body respond to the touch.

“You’re here, aren’t you?” Niki said. “This would be the logical next step.”

“You and your logic” James said and started to loosen Niki’s tie. “Sometimes I think you just do whatever you feel like and then call it logic.”

Niki grinned.

“Don’t tell anyone” he said and started to unbutton James’s shirt.

They both got their shirts and ties off. James slid his hands over Niki’s shoulders and chest, felt the lean, strong muscles under the skin. He wanted to do so much more than just kissing.

“It _is_ logical” Niki said and undid James’s belt. “If you’re going to keep me up past my bedtime, you might as well give me a nice time.”

“That is very logical” James said and started working on Niki’s belt.

He got it undone, unbuttoned Niki’s pants and let them fall to the floor. He put his hand on the crotch of Niki’s underwear and felt a surge of excitement when he felt the erection inside. He gently rubbed his hand over it, and was rewarded by a soft sound like a little sigh. Niki stepped out of his pants and shoes, and got James’ pants off. They stepped closer and put their arms around each other, pressed their bodies together and kissed again. James felt his own erection pressing against Niki, felt himself starting to breathe faster.

“Let’s lie down” he said.

Niki nodded and they moved over to the bed. It was a big bed, more than enough for the two of them. Niki had slept on the left side of it, and James wondered if he did the same at home. If Marlene had the right side. He thought perhaps he should feel guilty, he liked Marlene. But he didn’t. This was just sex, a reunion between old friends who might never see each other again. Marlene and Niki loved each other in a way Niki and James never would.

He kissed Niki again and ran his hands over his chest. He felt Niki’s hands on him, so hot to the touch. Then Niki’s hand found its way inside James’ underpants and grabbed his dick. James gasped, and Niki grinned.

“It’s been a while since I’ve touched one of these” he said.

“Someone elses, you mean” James said. “With all the nights you spend alone at hotels you must be spending quite some time with your hands under the covers.”

Niki laughed and gave him a look full of insinuation. James felt himself getting even more aroused.

“Do you watch porn?” he asked.

“No” Niki said. “I just make something up.”

He made a gesture at his head.

“Fantasies?” James asked, breathless.

“You could call it that.”

“About what?”

“None of your business.”

“Ever think about me?”

Niki’s grin got wider, his teeth making him look funny and sexy at the same time. His eyes were glittering with humour and excitement.

“I might have” he said. “Once or twice. Take these off.”

He pulled at the elastic band to James’s underwear. James smiled, pulled them down and kicked them to the floor. Niki did the same with his, and James looked at his naked hips and hard dick with a surge of excitement. He moved closer so he could put his hand around Niki’s dick and started to move his hand slowly back and forth. Niki closed his eyes. The look of pleasure on his face was arousing; eyes closed and lips parted, chest heaving as he breathed faster. After a while he opened his eyes.

“I’ll come if you don’t stop” he said.

“You never could hold out very long, could you?” James teased and kept moving his hand, slightly faster.

“Not like you” Niki said, his voice strained.

“I don’t mind if you come” James said. “We can do this the easy way. Just hands.”

Niki met his eyes, a small smile playing on his lips. Then he nodded and closed his eyes again with a sigh of pleasure. James leaned over him and kissed his face, drew in the smell of his hair. The scent of his hair and skin was exactly as James remembered it, and triggered a wave of nostalgia as well as lust.

“You like it?” he asked and picked up the pace a bit more.

“Yes” Niki breathed without opening his eyes.

He was breathing hard now, and the look on his face was incredibly arousing. James licked his neck, his nipples, ran his hand slowly over his chest, then down to the inside of his thighs. There was a scar there too, from the skin graft, but much more discreet. Made by doctors, not by fire. James stayed clear of it, kept to the other thigh, in case it was sensitive. He used his free hand to massage and caress while the other hand was moving steadily back and forth, and made Niki groan.

“My God” he mumbled.

His breathing got faster, ragged, panting, and then he came. Watching his face while he did made James so aroused it actually hurt a little. He let go and wiped his hand on the sheet. Then he snuggled up even closer to Niki and kissed his cheek.

“Like it?” he said.

Niki opened his eyes half-way. Their usual intensity was gone, and they were dim with pleasure.

“Yes” he said. “Your turn.”

James gasped when he felt Nikis hand close around him. He was so aroused it didn’t take him long to come.

 

The silence in the room was peaceful, a contented stillness now that all their lust was spent. They lay naked next to each other in the bed, but didn’t touch. Niki laughed softly.

“I didn’t expect this when I agreed to go to the party” he said.

“Me neither” James said and chuckled. “I thought I’d go home with a pretty girl, not an ugly guy.”

“I was going to get a good night’s sleep alone.”

“Any regrets?”

Niki met his eyes.

“No” he said.

They lay in silence for a while. James was starting to feel sleepy, but didn’t want to fall asleep here. Niki was getting up early tomorrow, and he didn’t want to have to rush out of bed and do the walk of shame early in the morning without a coat. Better to call a taxi now and go home to sleep. He looked at Niki. His eyes were closed and he was looking relaxed, breathing slowly but still awake, his hair curling against the pillow, his scars clearly visible in the light from the bedside lamp. James admired his lack of self-consciousness. He had changed after the accident, become wary of other people in a way he hadn’t been before, but it was almost impossible to spot the difference if you didn’t know him well. James couldn’t imagine anyone other than him walking around looking like he did and so obviously not caring. At least not much.

I don’t have to leave just yet, James thought. I can just lie here for a while and enjoy this. Him. His mind started to wander, coming up with one memory after another. Niki and racing. What a good life it had been. It wasn’t meant to last, but it had been amazing while it did.

He looked at Niki again. His face looked completely relaxed now, his breathing slow and regular, and James realized he had fallen asleep. Time to go, James thought, but stayed a few moments longer watching his friend sleep. He loved the vulnerable stillness and peace he displayed in sleep, in sharp contrast to the intensity and self-control he had while awake. It was strangely moving, and James found it hard to take his eyes off him. He wondered if Niki was dreaming, and about what. He fought the urge to kiss him one last time, and then got out of bed. He dressed quickly and quietly, and then he turned the light out and left.

                            

 


End file.
